Toy railroad-gate set



C. W. Wl-RTH.

TOY RAILROAD GATE SET. APPucATloN FILED sEPT.1o, 1920.

kN A

Patented May 9, 1922.

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*o Nn 0.2 ww Q in iu ATTOR N EY C. W. WIRTH.

TOY RAILROAD GATE SET* APPLICATION man SEPT. 10. 1920.

Patented May 9', 1922-.

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Ua/fles WWL'TL INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY ed at its ends to links 34. Alink rod 35 is pivot-ally connected to the end of one of the links 34and is in `turn secured to the crosspiece 31. The rod 35 hasconsiderable length, extending parallel with the track two feet or more.The extremity of the rod 35 is bent at right angles, as indicated at 36,and is joined to a pair of flanges 40 provided on a slide 39. The slidemoves in a guideway 38 provided on a plate 37 which may form anextension of the base or may be secured to the track, lioor or othersupport. A pin 41 passes between the flanges 40, and a fla-t spring 42is secured at one end to the slide 39 vand extends underneath the end 36of the rod 35. The opposite end: of the spring 42 presses upon one armof a trip 43, pivoted, as at 45, to swing between the flanges 40. Thespring 42 tends to hold the other arm of the trip in a-verticalpositiomas shown in Fig. 5. This last-mentioned arm has a right-angularextension 44 providing convenient means which a lug orprojection on theengine may strike.

A'trip entirely analogous to the one shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, isprovided at the opposite end of the base 10, with the trip guided by theslot 13 and slidable the length thereof. The first-described trip isdesigned to make the gates lower simultaneously in advance kof thepassage `of the train over the toy set. The trip, which is movable inthe slot 13, is designed to be engaged byr a. lug or projection on thelast car of the toy train, whereby the gates will be raised only afterthe train has passed completely over the set. The direction in which thetrain must travel relativeto the 'device of the invention is indeated bythe arrowhead in Fig. 1.

When either extension arm 44 is struck, the trip 43 will slide in itsguideway and thus pull the respective links 34, afterwards bending andgiving way. The two links 34, being joined together and being connectedto the cross-piece 31, it will be clear that movement of either tripwill cause sliding of the cross-piece 31 longitudinally of the base 10,thus effecting simultaneous longitudinal sliding of the rods 29.Movement of the rods 29 will cause the weights 26 to move to one end orthe other of the platforms 23. The housings for the raised portions 18of the base 10 will. provide room for sliding of the weights 26 in thebase and along the'platform.

`As will be noted from Fig. 3, the disposition of the crank arms 21,links 22, and platforms 23, is such that when the sliding weights 26move as a pair to the left, as viewed in this ligure, the gates 14 willrise, while if the weights are slid to the right, the gates willsimultaneously fall until they assume the position illustrated in Fig.2.

The device is adapted to provide much entertainment for children, isdesigned so as to aid in making an effective window display by dealersin electrical toys, and has a mechanism which, because of its extremesimplicity, is not likely to get out of order. Other railroad gates areoperated by hydraulic or air pressure, or even by electrical power, andare expensive to build, besides being liable to get out of order. Theprovision of sliding weights on a swinging platform, as in the presentinvention, makes the set easy to build and simple to repair.

llllliat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a gatemounted to swing on a horizontal axis, a pivoted platform connected tothe gate so that the gate and platform swing together, said platformhaving guiding means, a weight slidable on the platform and guided bysaid means, and mechanism .for .shifting the position of the weight.

2. ln a device of the class described, a gate mounted to swing about ahorizontal axis, and means for causing said swinging, said meansincluding a pivoted platform, a weight slidable on the platform toeither side of the pivot thereof, means connected to the weight foreffecting sliding of the same, and means joining the platform to thegate so that the latter swings synchronously with the platform.

3. ln a device of the class described, a pair of gates mounted to swingabout horizontal axes, the two gates extending in opposite directionstoward each other. a supporting rod secured to each gate, a pivotedplatform for each gate, a link and crank connection between one end ofeach platform and the respective gate supporting rod, a weight slidableon each platform, the two platforms always having the same inclination,means connecting the two weights together, and means whereby the weightsare slid.

4. In a device of the class described, pairs of gates oppositely mountedto swing on horizontal axes, a swingably mounted platform beneath eachgate, mechanism connecting each platform with its gate whereby arelatively small swinging of the former causes a swing of the latterthrough an are of at least ninety degrees, and means for simultaneouslyshifting the center of balance of the platforms whereby all the gatesrise and fall together.

5. In a device of the class described, a gate mounted to swing on ahorizontal axis, a pivoted platform located near the gate and. connectedthereto so that the gate and platform must swing together, said platformhaving guiding flanges upstanding from its longitudinal edge, a weightslidable on the platform between the flanges, and mechanism for shiftingthe positions of the weight.

6. ln a device of the class described, pairs ofgates oppositely mountedto swing on a .horizontal axis, the gates of each pair eX- the weightson the platforms of each pair of gates, and means connecting the rodston gether so that the WeiUhts all move together.

ln testimony, that claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixedmy signa` ture.

CHARLES WILLIAM WIRTH.

